Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children

Who is the course for?

The course will be of interest to you if you are a front line professional or a volunteer anywhere in the world working to offer care, protection and other support to unaccompanied and separated children on the move. For example, you might be a social worker, child protection professional, teacher, border official, medical worker, judge, lawyer or care worker. The course will be of significance if you are a policy maker, work for a government or non-governmental organisation or indeed, if you have any concern or responsibility for child protection and alternative care. You will also find this course useful if you are studying the topic of migration or, someone who would like to learn more about children who are travelling alone across and between borders.

What topics will you cover?

Why unaccompanied and separated children are on the move, the risks they face and, how best to respond to their circumstances.

Understanding the importance of offering a range of suitable alternative care options in a country and how this can offer protection to unaccompanied and separated children on the move.

Illustrating examples of suitable alternative care and support for unaccompanied and separated children being practiced around the world.

The skills those working with unaccompanied and separated children on the move should have.

How to fully assess needs and vulnerabilities of unaccompanied and separated children and make decisions that are in their best interests.

How to build coordination and cooperation between the humanitarian sector and alternative care professionals to improve responses to unaccompanied and separated children.

This course has been made possible by the Caring for Children Moving Alone MOOC Taskforce:

Better Care Network

CELCIS

Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children

Hope and Homes for Children (HHC)

International Detention Coalition (IDC)

International Federation of Educative Communities (FICE)

IFRC

International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW)

International Organisation on Migration (IOM)

International Social Service (ISS)

Latin American Foster Care Network (RELAF)

Save the Children

SOS Children’s Villages International

Terre des hommes (TdH)

UNHCR

UNICEF

[Banner photo: © IFRC/Tommy Trenchard/Panos Pictures]